Sample warper with series yarn guide mechanism and warping method

ABSTRACT

There is provided a sample warper with a series yarn guide mechanism comprising: a warper drum; a plurality of conveyor belts movably provided on a peripheral side face of the warper drum; a plurality of yarn guide units arranged in series opposing to a front face of the warper drum, and a plurality of yarn feed bobbins each mounted on the respective yarn guide units, wherein the plural yarn guide units each repeats rotation and suspension thereof, whereby yarns pulled out from the yarn feed bobbins are wound on the conveyor belts in a preset yarn arrangement order. According to the present invention, such an advantage can be achieved that installation of the conventional yarn selection device can be omitted, such troubles as yarn loosening during yarn exchanging, failure in yarn selecting operation, and suspension due to yarn breaking when yarn selecting or the like can be solved, and pattern warping performed by simultaneous warping of a plurality of yarns is made possible so that the warping can be performed efficiently in a short time.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a novel sample warper with a series yarn guide mechanism which uses a plurality of yarn guide units arranged in series opposing to a front face of a warper drum to allow pattern warping by simultaneous warping of a plurality of yarns according to preset pattern data (a preset yarn arrangement order or a preset color yarn arrangement order).

2. Description of the Related Art

As a sample warper used conventionally, there has been known, for example, a structure disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 1529104, namely a structure, wherein using a fixed creel for supporting a plurality of bobbins on which different kinds (different colors or twists) of yarns are to be wound, the yarns are successively wound on a warper drum by yarn guides while yarn exchanging is performed by a yarn selection device according to preset pattern data (a preset yarn order).

Further, there has been also known a sample warper for winding a plurality of yarns simultaneously, wherein using a rotary creel and omitting a yarn exchanging step, it is possible to cancel loss of time for yarn exchanging, to wind simultaneously a plurality of yarns on a warper drum, and further to reduce a warping time (refer to Japanese Patent No. 1767706, U.S. Pat. No. 4,972,662 and EP375480).

The fixed creel has a plurality of bobbins on which the same kind and/or of different kinds (mainly different kinds) of yarns are to be wound, wherein since yarns are warped one by one while yarn exchanging is freely performed by the selection device, a warping operation for pattern warping can be advantageously performed, but since yarns are sequentially wound on the warper drum for each yarn, much time is disadvantageously required for a warping operation. On the other hand, the rotary creel has a plurality of bobbins on which the same kind and/or different kinds of yarns are to be wound, and it can be applied to repetition warping for an extremely limited number of patterns such as solid color warping (for example, one color of a red color yarn), one to one warping (for example, repetition of one red yarn and one white yarn, or repetition of one S-twisted yarn and one Z-twisted yarn), two to two warping (for example, repetition of two red yarns and two white yarns, or two S-twisted yarns and two Z-twisted yarns) and the like. In the rotary creel, a warping operation of pattern warping except for the extremely limited number of patterns can not be disadvantageously performed but a warping time can be advantageously reduced to a great extent because the plural yarns are wound on the warper drum simultaneously.

The present applicant has already proposed a sample warper provided with a plurality of yarn selection devices corresponding to a fixed creel and a rotary creel, which can perform jointly pattern warping and repetition warping and reduce a warping time of a warping operation requiring solid color warping and pattern warping to achieve an extremely high efficiency (refer to JP2000-136456A and EP933455A2).

Further, the present applicant has also proposed a sample warper, wherein a plurality of rotary creels are combined to freely perform the pattern warping and the repetition warping (JP2002-339183A).

As described in Japanese Patent No. 1529104, Japanese Patent No. 1767706, U.S. Pat. No. 4,972,662, EP375480, JP2000-136456A, EP933455A2, and JP2002-339183A, the above-described conventional sample warper comprises as an essential basic structure: a warper drum; one or a plurality of yarn guide(s) each rotatably mounted radially on a peripheral side face of the warper drum; a fixed creel and/or a rotary creel installed opposing to the yarn guide(s); and a yarn selection device for exchanging yarns to be fed to the yarn guide(s).

In such a conventional sample warper, when exchanging yarns there are essential a yarn removing operation for removing a yarn from a yarn guide winding the yarn on the warper drum and a yarn feeding operation for feeding a yarn to be next wound on the warper drum to the yarn guide; therefore there occurs yarn loosening during the time until the removed yarn is restored, failure of a yarn selecting operation, yarn breaking when yarn selecting or the like, which results in increase of a time in which a warping operation is suspended. Further, there has been increased a need for a machine capable of performing pattern warping in a shorter time.

The present inventors have reached the present invention as a result of the repeated researches for developing a sample warper with a novel mechanism, which has been solved the above-described problem.

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel sample warper with a series yarn guide mechanism, which can omit installation of a conventional yarn selection device, solve such troubles as yarn loosening during yarn exchanging, failure of a yarn selecting operation, and suspension due to yarn breaking when yarn selecting, and perform pattern warping efficiently in a short time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A sample warper with a series yarn guide mechanism of the present invention comprises: a warper drum; a plurality of conveyor belts movably provided on a peripheral side face of the warper drum; a plurality of yarn guide units arranged in series opposing to a front face of the warper drum, and a plurality of yarn feed bobbins each mounted on the respective yarn guide units, wherein the plural yarn guide units each repeats rotation and suspension thereof, whereby yarns pulled out from the yarn feed bobbins are wound on the conveyor belts in a preset yarn arrangement order.

In the sample warper according to the present invention, it is preferable that the yarn guide units are rotatably mounted on a yarn guide main shaft arranged on the center line of the front face of the warper drum. It is also preferable that each of the yarn guide units is provided with a driving means such as a motor (preferably, a servomotor) for the yarn guide unit. It is further preferable that the feed rate of the conveyor belt is controlled in accordance with variations in the number of the yarn guide units rotating simultaneously.

A warping method of the present invention uses the sample warper with a series yarn guide mechanism of the present invention and is characterized in that pattern warping is performed by rotating the plural yarn guide units each mounted with the yarn feed bobbin in accordance with a directed yarn arrangement order on the basis of preset pattern data.

In the warping method of the present invention, the pattern warping is performed by rotating yarn guide units mounted with yarn feed bobbins to be used in accordance with the yarn arrangement order, yarn guide units mounted with yarn feed bobbins not to be used being temporarily suspended at predetermined positions, whereby it is possible to always wind a plurality of yarns on the conveyor belts on the warper drum.

Further, a distal end guide member of each of the yarn guide units, which are temporarily suspended at the predetermined positions, is displaced to positions deviated from a yarn winding orbit. With such a structure, the distal end guide members of the yarn guide units not to be used is desirably not in contact with yarns to be warped.

According to the sample warper with a series yarn guide mechanism of the present invention, such an advantage can be achieved that installation of the conventional yarn selection device can be omitted, such troubles as yarn loosening during yarn exchanging, failure in yarn selecting operation, and suspension due to yarn breaking when yarn selecting or the like can be solved, and pattern warping performed by simultaneous warping of a plurality of yarns is made possible so that the warping can be performed efficiently in a short time.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway explanatory side view showing an embodiment of a sample warper with a series yarn guide mechanism according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic explanatory front view of the sample warper with a series yarn guide mechanism of the present invention where yarn guide units have been developed radially;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged explanatory view of action of the yarn guide unit when winding yarn; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged explanatory view of an essential portion in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the present invention will be explained below with reference to the attached drawings. The embodiment described herein is illustrative, and it may be modified variously without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, a sample warper with a series yarn guide mechanism 10 of the present invention includes a base stand 12. The base stand 12 consists of a warper frame 12 a positioned at a rear portion side and a yarn guide frame 12 b positioned at a front portion side. A warper drum 14 is provided on the warper frame 12 a. Reference numeral 16 denotes a conveyor belt, which is movably provided on a peripheral side face of the warper drum 14. A feed rate of the conveyor belt 16 is controlled by a conveyor belt feed unit in accordance with warping conditions (the number of warping yarns, a warping width, the number of warping windings, and the like). The movement of the conveyor belt is in synchronism with rotation of yarn guide units described later and varies in accordance with the number of yarn guide units to be rotated simultaneously.

Reference numerals 18 a to 18 h denote shedding bars. A shedding unit is provided on a distal end portion of each of the shedding bars 18 a to 18 h, a shed of yarns being formed by the shedding unit. In detail, the reference numeral 18 a denotes a cut shedding down bar; 18 b, an upper shedding bar; 18 c and 18 d, lower shedding bars; 18 e, an upper shedding bar; 18 f, a lower shedding bar; 18 g, an upper shedding bar; and 18 h, a cut shedding up bar.

Reference numeral 20 denotes a main shaft pipe, which supports the warper drum 14. The main shaft pipe 20 is fixedly supported on the warper frame 12 a via main shaft metals (not shown). In FIG. 2 and FIG. 4, reference numeral 21 denotes a guide unit for warping yarns in orderly layered condition. The guide unit 21 is described in detail in JP7-133538A, so further explanation thereof will be omitted.

In the sample warper 10 with a series yarn guide mechanism of the present invention, a novel yarn guide mechanism is employed, which will be explained below. As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a stand frame 22 is provided in a standing manner at a front end portion of the yarn guide frame 12 b.

Reference numeral 24 denotes a yarn guide main shaft, which is fixedly supported by a first supporting portion 26 provided on a front face of the main shaft pipe 20 and a second supporting portion 28 provided on an upper face of the stand frame 22. Therefore, the yarn guide main shaft 24 is positioned on the center line of the front face of the warper drum 14.

A plurality of base rings 30 a to 30 z are rotatably mounted on the yarn guide main shaft 24 at predetermined intervals. Further, motor supporting plates 32 a to 32 z are vertically provided on the yarn guide main shaft 24. The motor supporting plates 32 a to 32 z are provided with driving means such as motors 34 a to 34 z. Reference numerals 36 a to 36 z denote bosses for fixing the motor supporting plates 32 a to 32 z on the yarn guide main shaft 24.

A counter pulley (not shown) is attached to each of the base rings 30 a to 30 z. The counter pulley is coupled to a motor pulley (not shown) connected to a motor axis of each of the motors 34 a to 34 z via respective timing belts 38 a to 38 z. Therefore, the base rings 30 a to 30 z are rotated in accordance with rotation of the motors 34 a to 34 z, respectively. Incidentally, by using a pulse motor, preferably, a servomotor, as each of the motors 34 a to 34 z, it is made possible to control rotation, suspension, keeping suspension and rotational traveling angle thereof. Further, toothed belts are preferably used as the timing belts 38 a to 38 z.

Reference numerals 40 a to 40 z denote bobbin stands mounted on the base rings 30 a to 30 z. The bobbin stands 40 a to 40 z are mountable with yarn feed bobbins 42 a to 42 z. Incidentally, when a plurality of yarn feed bobbins are mountable on the bobbin stands 40 a to 40 z, by tying an ending portion of a yarn of a yarn feed bobbin during feeding yarn and a starting portion of a yarn of a yarn feed bobbin under suspension, the troubles for supply of a yarn feed bobbin can be conveniently saved.

Reference numerals 44 a to 44 z denote yarn guide units mounted on the base rings 30 a to 30 z in a standing manner. The yarn guide units 44 a to 44 z include: yarn guide arms 45 a to 45 z provided respectively with plural guide members 48 and eye-guide members having holes 50 a to 50 z for guiding the yarns 46 a to 46 z pulled out from the yarn feed bobbins 42 a to 42 z; distal end guide members 52 a to 52 z extended respectively from the eye-guide members 50 a to 50 z, and eye-distal end guide members 54 a to 54 z provided respectively at distal ends of the eye-guide members 52 a to 52 z. The eye-distal end guide members 54 a to 54 z guide the yarns 46 a to 46 z to be wound on the warper drum 14 by the yarn guide units 44 a to 44 z. It is possible to wind the yarns 44 a to 44 z pulled out from the yarn feed bobbins 42 a to 42 z on the warper drum 14 by rotation of the yarn guide units 44 a to 44 z, and make the winding of the yarns 46 a to 46 z on the warper drum 14 suspend by suspension of the yarn guide units 44 a to 44 z.

The distal end guide members 52 a to 52 z are preferably arranged movably by driving units such as rotary air cylinders, rotary solenoid motors or the like in such a way that they can be rotated around the warper drum 14 at a position indicated by a solid line in FIG. 3 during warping, namely, winding the yarn 46 a and retracted to a position indicated by a dotted line in FIG. 3 during suspension. With the arrangement, when warping is performed using the yarn guide unit 44 d positioned outside and the yarn guide units 44 a to 44 c positioned inside are suspended, the yarn guide units 44 a to 44 c are on standby at positions deviated from the yarn orbit of the yarn 46 d to be warped by the yarn guide unit 44 d, so that it is made possible to perform a smooth warping operation.

By using the sample warper with a series yarn guide mechanism of the present invention, it is made possible to perform warping of one yarn and simultaneous warping of a plurality of yarns in accordance with pattern data (conventional arrangement design) inputted before start of a warping operation.

In case of the simultaneous warping of a plurality yarns, as illustrated in FIG. 2, shedding required for warping is made possible by performing warping while developing the yarn guide units 44 a to 44 d (in case of warping of four yarns) radially at equal intervals. Further, by arranging the yarn guide units 44 a and 44 b in line or the yarn guide units 44 a to 44 c in line, there can be freely performed warping for double yarn, triple yarn or the like used in “habutae” (a kind of fabric) and toweling.

The yarn selection operation in the sample warper with a series yarn guide mechanism of the present invention may be performed by rotating the yarn guide units 44 a to 44 z when warping and suspending the yarn guide units 44 a to 44 z when the warping is suspended; therefore there is not necessary such action that using a yarn selection device essential in the conventional sample warper, a yarn is removed from or supplied to a yarn guide between the yarn guide and the yarn selection device, any trouble due to yarn exchanging raveling out completely.

When the yarn guide units 44 a to 44 z are suspended, the suspending positions thereof are preferably positioned between the cut shedding down bar 18 a and the cut shedding up bar 18 h as shown by a dotted line in FIG. 2 (only the yarn guide unit 44 a is shown in FIG. 2). This is because the cut shedding down bar 18 a is a shedding bar forming a position for cutting warped yarns, and the cut shedding up bar 18 h is for fixing opposite side ends of cut yarns on the warper drum 14 by a clipping device (not shown) provided on the side face of the warper drum 14 and dividing the warped yarns on the warper drum 14 into starting yarns and terminating yarns when rewinding the warped yarns on the warper drum 14 to a warper beam. 

1. A sample warper with a series yarn guide mechanism comprising: a warper drum; a plurality of conveyor belts movably provided on a peripheral side face of the warper drum; a plurality of yarn guide units arranged in series opposing to a front face of the warper drum, and a plurality of yarn feed bobbins each mounted on the respective yarn guide units, wherein the plural yarn guide units each repeats rotation and suspension thereof, whereby yarns pulled out from the yarn feed bobbins are wound on the conveyor belts in a preset yarn arrangement order.
 2. The sample warper with a series yarn guide mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the yarn guide units are rotatably mounted on a yarn guide main shaft arranged on the center line of the front face of the warper drum.
 3. The sample warper with a series yarn guide mechanism according to claim 1, wherein each of the yarn guide units is provided with a driving means for the yarn guide unit.
 4. The sample warper with a series yarn guide mechanism according to claim 2, wherein each of the yarn guide units is provided with a driving means for the yarn guide unit.
 5. The sample warper with a series yarn guide mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the feed rate of the conveyor belt varies in accordance with the number of the yarn guide units rotating simultaneously.
 6. A warping method using the sample warper with a series yarn guide mechanism according to claim 1, wherein pattern warping is performed by rotating the plural yarn guide units each mounted with the yarn feed bobbin in accordance with a directed yarn arrangement order on the basis of preset pattern data.
 7. The warping method according to claim 6, wherein the pattern warping is performed by rotating yarn guide units mounted with yarn feed bobbins to be used in accordance with the yarn arrangement order, yarn guide units mounted with yarn feed bobbins not to be used being temporarily suspended at predetermined positions.
 8. The warping method according to claim 7, wherein a distal end guide member of each of the yarn guide units, which are temporarily suspended at the predetermined positions, is displaced to positions deviated from a yarn winding orbit. 